HTML5 ARTICLE

HTML5 Offers Options Galore for Developers

HTML5, the new standard for HTML, has opened up a world of opportunities for developers. At a time when the distinction between desktop and mobile is fading, developers around the world are facing challenges creating websites that are geared toward both the devices.

This is why developers are always looking for new functionality that is in-built within the standard rather than using external plug-ins to get the same effect. Lastly, they need a standard that will work well for browsers on both desktop and mobile platforms. HTML5 fits all these needs. It is faster, cheaper, supported by all modern browsers, more accessible and includes a host of new functionality that was not possible in the previous standards.

With HTML5, developers have plenty of options, especially while creating apps for the mobile market. It offers four ways for developers to bring their apps to the mobile device. Developers can now take their apps directly to a mobile browser, through a Web wrapper, a Web-to-native platform converter and, lastly, a native JavaScript API platform.

The exact choice depends to a large extent on the nature of the app that is being developed and the personal choice of the developer. It also depends to some extent on the depth of the API. For example, 37 percent of the 30,000 and odd Google (News - Alert) Play apps can be implemented directly to a mobile browser, 49 percent can be done through Phonegap, 63 percent can be done via Appcelerator and 98 percent through the Firefox OS, respectively. This goes to show the enormous amount of choices available for mobile app developers today.

These plentiful choices naturally lead to better quality apps. Today, virtually anything can be presented through an app and this is most evident in the many apps that have emerged during the last few years. It is hoped that developers will continue to use the powerful HTML5 and its multitude of choices to bring more and more apps to consumers in the near future.